Weren't we told in media about "overnight successes", because that sold, people loved to hear about that? It took some of those "overnight successes" to step up and tell the truth, that there isn't any such thing as overnight success, and a lot of work, time, and strategy goes into it.
I loved your example. The vintage car flipper took all the risks but also knew how to estimate the potential of a deal, even if he screwed up sometimes. The mechanic may have been great, but he took no risks, only did a job. Great at what he did, apparently, but decision and strategy lied at his boss.